It’s all about the bottom line, right? In the past, financial leaders would have argued this point until they were blue in the face. However, financial leaders, CFOs, and financial managers are not just number crunchers anymore.
“Developing your leadership capacity is moving beyond focusing on the day to day operations and expanding your decision making process to focus on long term strategies that are able to sustain business over time,” says leadership expert, Bill Hogg.
He adds, “Leaders need to focus on developing a transformational leadership style that creates positive change and growth. This begins with the goals and vision that are set by leaders and their ability to clearly communicate them to their team in a way that inspires them to buy in.”
While the numbers are just as important as they have always been, financial leaders no longer operate in a vacuum and are essential players in your company’s overall business strategy. This means that they must also have the strong leadership qualities to thrive in today’s business landscape – and many of these qualities have nothing to do with numbers:
A Clear Vision
Top financial leaders have a clear vision of what they want to accomplish and have a keen eye on the future. They communicate this vision internally and make sure their organization is always working toward their short term and long term financial objectives.
Results Oriented
Results matter. Great financial leaders are well versed in not only setting targets and forecasting, but also meeting these targets. They set measurable and attainable goals and have a realistic perspective of how their company will perform.
Effective Communication
No matter how great your vision or ideas may be, if you cannot clearly communicate them to others, you risk falling short of your goals. Communication is particularly important with people outside of finance, who may have more difficulty understanding financial concepts and strategies.
Trust
Things are bound to go awry from time to time, and financial leaders need to have the ability to take an honest look at the numbers and make tough decisions. Top financial leaders seek to overcome miscalculations honestly and look for solutions that will not put your company in jeopardy.
Courage
Making the hard decisions, taking risks and seeking out new challenges is not easy. Top financial leaders have the backbone to push forward when times are tough and meet adversity head on. They have the courage to do what it takes to achieve their vision and reach their objectives.
For more information about business leadership check out 7 Things Business Leaders Should STOP Saying If They Want to Recruit Top Talent. To attract the top financial leaders, connect with one of our Toronto Financial Services Recruiters.
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